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September 19, 2006

Crown Heights North on LPC Agenda Today

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With the Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting today to consider designating the area known as Crown Heights North, the New York Sun reports that, not unexpectedly, there is a mix of reaction within the community. "We believe we are just as worthy as Park Slope, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Stuyvesant Heights," said Deborah Young, a homeowner who was led the effort to ressurrect a 1978 LPC study on the area's architectural importance. Politically, Borough President Marty Markowitz is strongly in favor--and the addition would also help address recent accusations that LPC has been far too Manhattan-centric. Still, while some long-time homeowners like the idea of "preventing speculators coming in and tearing stuff down and building something out of character," some also worry about those renters living on a fixed income who will be hurt by the upward trend in prices that often follows an historic designation. As for us, we can't think of an unprotected area more in need of protection.
CHN Designation Would Worry Some [NY Sun]




Posted by Brownstoner at 8:55 AM | Comments (19)
Categories: Landmark

Comments

Too bad for the tenants but such is life in the big city. Tenancy is not a god-given infinite right.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 9:57 AM

The Times Union from New York. “The housing boom ended more than a year ago, but sellers are having a tough time accepting that fact, says David Lereah, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. The result has been tumbling sales as buyers stay on the sidelines.”

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 10:32 AM

I know I just got back into town, and am a little bleary, but what do the above comments have to do with landmarking in Crown Heights?

I wanted to go to the hearing this morning, work interrupts life, but I know Debra Young, and the other members of Crown Heights North Association are representing. I fully understand older(and younger) homeowner's concerns that repairs and paperwork will be more expensive and a pain in the butt, but as homeowners on Lefferts Place, Victorian Flatbush, Bed Stuy know, unprotected and non-landmarked areas are prime targets for rapacious development, land grabbing and fugly cheap construction. Keeping the beauty and community pride of Crown Heights North intact is worth the price.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at September 19, 2006 11:25 AM

Shame on those concerned about the price of living. Everyone knows that architectural integrity is more important than affordability.

Once again, CHP shows a contrast between thought and behavior. Not content with renting her unit at market rate (while chastising developers for doing doing the same thing), she now tells those concerned about rents and home owneships costs that their pain is a price that must be paid. Lovely.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 11:30 AM

don't nobody talk no mess bout CHP. That's my girl. Brilliant and beautiful, as always.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 11:44 AM

just out of curiosity (honestly, not trying to start WW3 here), but is there any precedent for an area getting landmark designation and prices NOT going up? everyone seems to think that it's a foregone conclusion that little old ladies with fixed incomes are going to get kicked out in droves from their rentals in CHN when it gets landmarked. what if the crashing/bursting/slowly-deflating housing market simultaneously pushes real estate values way way down? couldn't that mean that the invading forces of gentrification would come to a standstill and people who already own there would just sit tight and get nice little grants from the city every once in a while to get the facades of their townhomes restored to their original glory?

Posted by: sylvia at September 19, 2006 12:04 PM

Landmark status does not automatically mean that CHN is going to turn into Park Slope overnight. (Hopefully never, actually) There are too many other factors in the mix, including the state of real estate in general, and Brooklyn, specifically. And not to mention the general economy, and the local economy in the nabe, which is well below the city average. As I said before, this protects what we have BEFORE we end up with the building messes so often described here that take place in Bed Stuy. We are being pro-active for a change. Landmarking provides protection to an area, and announces to the world that a specific neighborhood, or group of buildings is architectually and historically worthy of attention and protection. This is of value to everyone in the community.

Throwing little old ladies and their rents into the mix is disengenuous and a smokescreen, and is only thrown up by my hate club to get me riled up. The people in CHNA, including myself, are doing all we can to insure that housing stays affordable, especially to senior citizens, and that help is available to anyone who may need to navigate the city beaurocracies, including Landmarks.

Landmark status may help give many different kinds of community groups a step up in status in getting programs and money for the community, as furthur preservation of our peoples and histories is part of what makes a Landmarked area a good thing. We are all concerned in much more than the architecture.

Anons 11:30 and 11:44 could give a damn about little old ladies' or anyone else's rents, or Crown Heights, or any other social concern. Their sole purpose for being seems to be keeping track of what I write, and calling me out whenever possible. I'm so flattered to have biographers so early in my literary career.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at September 19, 2006 12:42 PM

thanks, chp. i agree, community groups getting more support in under-served neigborhoods like crown heights is always a good thing. never mind the trollocks...

Posted by: sylvia at September 19, 2006 12:58 PM

Ah- CHP is in the house! Welcome back!

Well, as a renter I don't see where landmark status will necessarily drive anyone out. First of all, anon at 9:57- the renters you so summarily dismiss are the ones who help many a homeowner able to afford that landmarked house. True, landlords want to get the best price for their rentals- certainly understandable. But I think very few of them are so interested in squeezing a renter dry as you seem to be.

Secondly, landmarking, as CHP points out, will open up financial assistance and opportunities to people who may not be able to maintain the house they've owned for years because they didn't have the money. CHNA's impetus is protecting the people of this neghborhood who most need it, as well as ensuring that it stays beautiful and desirable.

Thirdly- it protects the neighborhood. First from greedy developers. It also puts a damper on declaring eminent domain on a homeowner just because a developer wants to ratnerize.

So thanks for all your concern for us poor downtrodden renters, anons at 9:57 and 11:30 but I would say get a different soapbox. I hardly want the likes of you claiming to speak for me.

Posted by: jennyanne at September 19, 2006 1:02 PM

Personally, I'm excited about the protection that landmark status will provide to the wonderful architecture that surrounds CHN. I wish it would have come sooner for the farm house on Bergen bet. NY & BK which was razed to build the row of burgundy houses. Now that's a tragedy!

I think that the homeowner/renter who opposes landmark status is due to lack of knowledge; instead of listening to the opinions and half-truths of others, they need to come out to the CHNA meetings and hear the issue for themselves.

Posted by: faithful at September 19, 2006 1:39 PM

chp, this is anon 11:44. i think you confused me with the previous poster.
i'm really an admirer of your unique viewpoints and comments. i usually find them to be insightful.
i haven't seen your postings in a while so i've been wondering if 'they' (whoever that group of trolls may be) succeeded in driving you away.
so naturally i was happy when you popped up again.
i was simply trying to inject humor (maybe in poor taste) but i'm really a fan of yours.
either way, it's all good.
i'll refrain from being so exuberant in my profession of admiration next time (: >

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 2:01 PM

Sorry, 2:01, I guess I'm a bit touchy, after my first post in almost two weeks was immediately jumped on like fresh meat. I was out of town where internet access was spotty, so I couldn't mouth off for a couple of weeks, which I'm sure pleased some no end.

I'll take whatever exuberant praise I can, and thank you very much! I really hope landmarking is the beginning of a renaissance for CH, and it won't always be synonomous with riots, crime and danger. We are so much better and so much more than just the negative.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at September 19, 2006 4:17 PM

Jennyanne = B2xBklyn

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 8:19 PM

Uh oh- the trolls (anon @ 8:19) are out in force again. You'd think they would get a life. Then again, maybe they're just too stupid.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 19, 2006 8:55 PM

Can anyone report back from the Landmark Commission meeting yesterday?

Posted by: Anonymous at September 20, 2006 8:51 AM

CHP, great work on getting the Landmarks Preservation Commission to look at Crown Heights North.
I don't mind your soapbox; actually enjoy it. Sometimes you seem like a lone voice because of your unique perspectives.
Just know that you have a choir in the amen corner saying 'preach on, sister'. Just ignore the trolls; a lot of people are destructive and negative rather than constructive these days.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 20, 2006 11:49 AM

There was a huge group of people at the meeting; easily overflowing the hearing room. I need to go back to my notes, but at least 25 - 30 people testified, almost all in favor. Homeowners from all walks - from brand new & renters - to people who've lived in the neighborhood for decades spoke eloquently and passionately about the beauty of the area and how much it means to them. About four or five people asked specificly for more information about what landmarking means (and the LPC promised to have another community meeting as well as posting staff members outside the hearing room to answer questions) and there were two or three "this is my property and you can't tell me what I can do with it" types. CM James & Vann were there & even Marty himself showed up and made a passingly coherent speech.

Posted by: Anonymous at September 20, 2006 12:45 PM

Will the letters of support sent to the LPC by those of us who could not attend the meeting be taken into consideration?

Is it a done deal? Will it really be approved?

Posted by: faithful at September 20, 2006 1:30 PM

Thanks for the kudos, 11:49, but I can't take any personal credit for the success of the landmarks effort. The leadership of CHNA, as well many of the members, had more or less finished all of the hard work of constant letter writing and photo taking by the time I moved to CH and found out about the organization. I've tried to do my part since I joined, but they are the real heroes here. They may not want their names plastered here on the blog, so I won't, but the credit is theirs.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at September 21, 2006 8:12 AM

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